Customizing Your Personal Start Page

Customizing Your Personal Start Page

Using your Personal Start Page

Exploring the Shopping, Finance, and Support tabs

Customizing your Personal Start Page

Defining the Personal Start Page

The first thing you probably see when you connect to EarthLink is your Personal
Start Page (see Figure
3.1). It provides one-click access to many of EarthLink's major features.
First, take a look at some of the benefits of this Personal Start Page. Then,
review the default layout of this page.

Figure 3.1 When
you start EarthLink, you see your Personal Start Page.

Don't See Personal Start Page?

If the Personal Start Page is not displayed as your default start page, you
can change it so that it is. To do so, click the Configure button, select
the Browser icon, and then click the Advanced tab. Type
start.earthlink.net as the homepage.

What Makes Your Personal Start Page Unique

Your Personal Start Page is more than a one-stop information center.
It's your unique collection of tools and links so that browsing is made as
easy as possible. The Personal Start Page offers valuable, convenient tools and
information.

Your Personal Start Page is convenientWith a glance, you know
whether you've got email awaiting you. From this page, you can access
popular sites and services. You're a click away from developments from
the world of show business, health, technology, and more.

You can customize your Personal Start PageOne of the great things
about your EarthLink Sprint Personal Start Page is that you can change it
to suit your needs. You can move features around on the page to make the
page easier to read. You can customize your favorite features so that they
offer the information you want, or you can remove features you don't
need. (More on this topic later in the chapter.)

You have quick access to popular featuresIn addition to being
able to customize your Personal Start Page, you have one-click access to
other features. One click on the Shopping tab, and you're at
EarthLink's The Mall with two floors of shopping and a whole
directory of shops to choose from. You can comparison shop or even create
a list of your 30 favorite stores. A click on the Finance tab and
you can explore the world of personal finance. If you want to update your
EarthLink account, get support, or review network status information (such
as call center wait times), click the Support tab.

How Your Personal Start Page Is Set Up

Before you learn how to change your Personal Start Page to suit your work
style, let's highlight some of the key things you can do right from your
Personal Start Page:

Check your mailIs there email waiting to be read? If so, EarthLink's
"Mail Truck" announces it. You can open your email using the EarthLink
5.0 MailBox software. You can also use the WebMail feature, which lets you
access your email from any computer that has Web access (even if that computer
is not set up to connect to your EarthLink account). For more information
on email, see Chapter 7, "Sending and Receiving Email."

Access popular sitesYou can find links to popular sites and services
at the top of the page, including links to Amazon.com (the bookstore), eBay
(the auction site), and E*Trade (the online stock site).

Search for informationFind the information you want on the Web
in seconds by using the search engine of your choice. Pick from GoTo.com,
Excite, Infoseek, Snap, Ask Jeeves, or LookSmart. For information on searching,
see Chapter 4, "Searching the Web." You can also use the Web channels.

Read current headlinesDirect from the major news servicesincluding
ABC News, CNN, ESPN, CBS MarketWatch, Wired, and othersyou can get the
latest news from your city and around the world. Click any of the listed
stories to read the associated article. You'll find stories in several
news areas, including politics, business, technology, world affairs, sports,
health, and others.

Handle financesGet up-to-the-minute quotes for your favorite
stocks (see Figure
3.2). You can also check out information on your personal financial
portfolio, read the latest financial news, and learn about investing, buying,
and selling real estate. For more information on finances, see Chapter 15,
"Personal Finance."

Figure 3.2
In the Finance section of the Personal Start Page, you can look up stock prices
or access financial links.

View remindersDid you forget someone's birthday or anniversary?
Or, perhaps you needed to deliver an important business report, got sidetracked,
and forgot to get back to it. The free Reminder service available
from your EarthLink Personal Start Page (see Figure
3.3) not only keeps you up-to-date on special occasions, it also lets
you send out invitations for scheduled events.

Get local weather and lottery informationCheck the current conditions
and forecasts for up to five cities (including your own). You can also use
the search box to get instant weather reports on the cities you select anywhere
in the world. Get the latest lottery numbers in your state, or in any state
that has a lottery.

ShopGet special pricing on complete travel packages, airlines,
car rentals, and hotels by using the travel link (see Figure
3.4). You can also visit Amazon.com for books, Wherehouse Music/CheckOut.com
for music, and eBay for auctions. You can also visit The Mall, with convenient
access to many popular retailers.

Figure 3.4
A wide variety of topics can be found on the Personal Start Page.

Visit EarthLinksUse these links to gain quick access to EarthLink's
Web site, where you can find support information and service updates (see
Figure 3.5).
You can also access a full-featured support area by clicking the Support
tab at the top of your Personal Start Page.

Get entertainment newsBefore you buy a ticket to an entertainment
event, you'll want to check out the reviews to find the ones worth
seeing. The Movie feature previews the latest offerings from Hollywood.
You can also view the Videos section to get information about new
video releases (as shown in Figure
3.6). And if you like soap operas, read the Soaps section.

Find someone or get directionsTrying to find the email address
of a long-lost friend or a relative? Or, perhaps you want to contact a business
about a support issue. You can use the Directory features to search
for email addresses and to access directions and maps to help you get where
you're going as fast as possible.

Manage your Home OfficeTurn your PC into a post office. You can
buy and print stamps and also receive faxes and voice mail along with your
email.

Check your horoscopeWhat do the stars show about you? Check your
horoscope and those of your friends using a convenient pull-down menu (see
Figure 3.7).

TriviaWho played Superman in the first live-action movie featuring
the character? No, it wasn't George Reeves (he came later and, after
one movie, went on to do the famous TV series of the 1950s). It was Kirk
Alyn (whose career, after appearing as the "Man of Steel," didn't
go very far). You can get a daily dose of fascinating facts from this feature
on your Personal Start Page.

Over time, your Personal Start Page will evolve to meet your changing needs.